פאבל

Pavel is a name of Latin-Christian origin that penetrated Jewish culture through contact with Slavic communities in Eastern Europe. The name derives from the Latin "Paulus" meaning "small" or "humble," and became one of the most common names among Russian, Polish, and Ukrainian Jews in the 19th and 20th centuries. Although not originally a Hebrew name, Pavel became an integral part of Ashkenazi Jewish tradition and was given to many boys in Jewish communities living under Russian and Polish rule. The name Pavel reflects the complex process of cultural assimilation experienced by Eastern European Jews, as they adopted local names alongside traditional Hebrew names. In many cases, Pavel served as a secular or "goyisher nomen" (gentile name) given to a child in addition to his Hebrew name received at circumcision. This phenomenon was particularly common among educated Jewish families who sought to integrate into general society without abandoning their Jewish identity. The name carries within it a collective memory of Jewish life in exile, of struggles between preserving tradition and integrating into the modern world. In Jewish-Russian culture, Pavel is associated with numerous figures of Jewish intellectuals, writers, artists, and scientists who made significant contributions to European culture. The name testifies to a period of cultural and spiritual flourishing among Eastern European Jewry, a period that ended in the catastrophe of the Holocaust. Today, the name Pavel also carries a nostalgic quality, evoking the lost Jewish world of European Yiddishkeit. It symbolizes the bridge between past and present, between tradition and modernity, and between Jewish identity and the civic identity in which Jews lived. Although the name is less common today in Israel, it still holds deep significance for many families who preserve the memory of their European roots.

פָּאבֶל

Pavel | Paul | Pável

Boy and Girl

Yes

In Kabbalah, the name Pavel does not carry direct significance as it is not an original Hebrew name. However, its Latin meaning of "small" or "humble" relates to the Kabbalistic value of self-nullification and humility, which are central elements in spiritual work. Modesty and smallness are perceived as high spiritual virtues that enable the reception of divine light.

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5

Pavel Tsemakh - Israeli writer of Russian origin | Pavel Brandwein - Israeli artist | Pavel Goldstein - Jewish-Russian mathematician

פבל | פאול | שאול | פנחס